


Maybe

by DenebYL



Category: Persona 5
Genre: Attempt at Humor, Canon Era, M/M, One Shot, Protag is Ren here, Where was I going with this?, no beta we die like men
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-26
Updated: 2018-03-26
Packaged: 2019-04-08 13:10:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,164
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14106099
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DenebYL/pseuds/DenebYL
Summary: “I don’t suppose it’s going to let up soon, do you think?”A rainy day in LeBlanc is where Akechi truly finds solace.Though his mind wanders, he knows that this is what feeling at peace feels like.29/3 Edit: formatting and a bunch of things that hopefully now make sense1/4 Edit: end me please turns out I can't english





	Maybe

**Author's Note:**

> Can be seen as a prequel to that fic "Dinner" you may or may not have read.
> 
> Ya don't have to.

“I don’t suppose it’s going to let up soon, do you think?”

The relentless pitter-patter of rain from outside is all that the two of them hear, the sound of water flooding their minds if not their thoughts already. He thinks about how lucky he was for finishing up early, otherwise he would have been caught under the rain…

But Akechi also thinks that, on other days, there would be children - the sound of rapid footsteps followed by boisterous laughter, or old ladies passing by, chatters just accidentally loud enough for him to hear sentences such as “What a delinquent!” or “That's not true!”

He would think about why those are what he hears, as if he was attuned to such statements. But of course, he has an idea why.

Akechi looks outside, gaze soft, and he sighs as thinks about life out there.  
Life beyond the glass door that separates this sanctuary, and a bigger world just past the visual barriers that presents itself in front of him.

And yet it is a bigger world out there that Akechi knows has hurt him, a world that has done nothing else but stir hatred and malice in his heart.

So what deafens that anger is that exact door, somewhat obstructing his view as he quietly watches the water stream steadily from the skies above, droplets on the glass regardless the partial shelter right outside. He knows that it will stain, but the next time he comes back he knows it will be as clean as new, once again reflecting what the visitors of LeBlanc cannot help but show - of what the day has done to them, and of the world beyond where they must resume and put their feelings aside.

But Akechi himself, he doesn’t look.  
Because when he enters, he reaches for the knob, eyes directly on the reflection of the shoes that he wears day to day, and what he sees then is either Sojiro or Ren.  
And when he leaves, he closes his eyes, and opens when he knows the glass door is out of sight, the bland walls of the public bath right across LeBlanc greeting his disappointed gaze.  


He thinks that if he saw what he is where he goes to seek solace, then peace is destroyed for him. LeBlanc is but another store. 

So Akechi does not look forward to those minutes where he realises he must leave, and he can hear his heart begging for him to abandon what is out there - to abandon vengeance, to abandon hatred, to stay.

Because this is a place where he can just about forget about his past, his present, and if it even exists, his future. He would contemplate the smell of coffee, wondering what blend Ren has prepared today, and to him that feeling is as warm and as comfortable as a blanket freshly out of the dryer. He would lazily tap his fingers on the wooden table, humming a song he’d heard on the station square earlier today, and he'd sigh longingly because for once, his mind is his alone.

He didn’t have to think about his anger one bit, about every calculated step he has to take…

...Because he would never admit it himself, but it gets tiring.

It gets tiring to keep up the charade of the princely detective, it gets tiring to constantly remind himself of his plan for revenge…

So whenever he wakes up, all he has to distract his loathe for life is the fact that he would have a modicum of peace during evenings like these. 

And yet, he has no other choice, does he?

It was not like he was simply framed, and accidentally then he found two great friends…  
He did. But it was in a dream, during one of the nights he would have cried himself to sleep, yes.

“Ren?”

He speaks up again, the silence between the two deafening, only breathing and rainfall enveloping what peace resides in the bubble that the two of them are currently seeking solace in, and he realises the other boy did not comment like he usually does.

“Oh, yeah. Sorry. What did you say?”

Akechi tilts his head to the side, just slightly.

“It’s rare for you to space out. Mind if I ask why?”

“You know, kids these days just ask, what’s up?” He let out a wry, short laugh. “But… It’s nothing, really. I was just thinking about how pretty the rain is.”

“…Is that so?” Akechi asked, curious to hear his thoughts. For a moment there, Akechi had let his guard down. His eyes, his full attention was focused on Ren’s expression. He was genuinely curious, something he felt only as rare as the love and affection he had ever gotten. 

But Ren's eyes... It’s not that it was empty. There's something there… Something that Akechi can’t quite describe. Maybe… aching? Ren looks to be searching for something no longer there... Or perhaps something that is not there yet?  
Perhaps a shadow of someone forgotten as if it were a ghost of the past, wallowing alone and in silence as it searches for closure, yet traces remain.

Traces… Perhaps they were too light a word.

Chains.  
Chains that forever binds someone to a past, it is unheard of and unseen, yet strong and intense as it serves as an always painful reminder that he can trust no one.

Still, there _were_ traces.  
But they were of laughter, of love, of promises… that were silenced, forgotten, unfulfilled.

So Akechi wonders if Ren understands what he has been through.

...But maybe he’s overthinking it, and he quickly dismisses the thought.

So Ren turns towards Akechi, and their eyes meet. Ren’s eyes were soft, lips curved into a rare, innocent smile, unlike the usual playful smirk.  
He figures it was just a mix of serenity and yearning.

“I know I said the rain was pretty, but… What's with the staring? Did you want me to call _you_ pretty instead?”

Akechi glares at him.

“No, thanks.”

“You’re pretty.”

Akechi rolls his eyes.

“What’s next, go out on a date with me?” He said, the tone cold and dismissive.

“I mean, that’s kind of bold of you, but if you insist.” Ren shrugged, smiling.

“No.”

“I’ll buy you dinner.” Ren shot a smile at him, and somehow Akechi was sure he had used this smile thousands of times to get what he wants.

“That’s… the point. I’m pretty sure that’s the whole point of going out to dinner with you.”

-

It’s just playful banter, Ren knows that perfectly well.  
He just wants to cherish these moments, because he knows that the detective prince is just like him and his friends. Abused, torn, hope stripped away by irresponsible adults who seek what only they could gain.

So as the sound of water slowly dissipates, their voices now louder than the rain, Ren wonders if he can save him too.

…  
..  
.

__

_...in my stead... End his crimes..._

**Author's Note:**

> There's something about late nights and having microsoft word open because I keep getting myself into these situations.


End file.
